Crawley match thread

Tom D · 13-02-2016, 08:05

Looking forward to this, chance to get back to winning ways and a chance to move back up the table with most the teams above playing each other (best result would be draws all round). If they crowd the midfield like carlisle and stop seamus and crooks from getting involved, pierro and Sean are going to have to really step up, and give us an alternate route that isn't hoof ball.

Coley has said he might be making changes to the team. Does he dare drop crooks after an indifferent display the last couple of games? I'm not sure any other central midfielder is up to paying 90 mins.

cashman · 13-02-2016, 08:19

Looking forward hopefully to 3 Pts in me absence.not really bothered whos selected,so long as we get em.

monkey hanger · 13-02-2016, 09:12

play the strongest available team with regards to the opposition. we,ve plenty to pick from now unlike previous seasons.

choirboy · 13-02-2016, 09:40

Come on Stanley!
Back to winning ways today please.
Bringing my first grandson on to the match today for his first "Stanley Experience!"
ON STANLEY ON

DaveinGermany · 13-02-2016, 09:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by choirboy

Bringing my first grandson on to the match today for his first "Stanley Experience!"

That's the way to do it, expose them to the lunacy that's a Stanley supporters life early on, it all makes for a long term Loon to replace the owd codgers as they eventually shamble off to the big turnstile in the sky!

(Other destinations or none are available dependent on your beliefs

)

Chimer · 13-02-2016, 16:00

My word! Couldn't make it after all with a cold, but feeling better now - and waiting to hear how Jason managed to get a red on the bench!

Kiwi John · 13-02-2016, 16:15

Isn't life just wonderful ?

Chrisr · 13-02-2016, 16:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chimer

My word! Couldn't make it after all with a cold, but feeling better now - and waiting to hear how Jason managed to get a red on the bench!

He ran on to help quell a big scrap. Shay McCartan sent off and one theirs.
The officials were very poor and should have got a grip of the game sooner. 1st Half we were rubbish, 2nd half we were a different team then the scrap and we then beat them easily. in fairness we should have scored 6/7. Matt crooks had several golden chances but chose to pass and the strikers ballooned them. I think Matt has just lost confidence in front of goal, He has skyed the last couple of sitters and I think that is his weakness at the moment.

deeayess · 13-02-2016, 17:15

Matts problem is he is a good reacting player up front but can't seem to do it when he has time to think about it

Outback Ozzy · 13-02-2016, 17:25

Well that was a game of 2 halves. 1st half, we were rubbish and I wonder if Coley did a Fergie and started throwing boots, teacups etc etc at half time? 2nd half, what a difference, Billy got a good strikers reaction goal early doors, then we had handbags at 10 paces which the referee and his assistants got totally confused with and sent off the wrong Crawley player, after this, Stanley totally dominated the game. Piero's goal the pick of the bunch for me. Looking forward to watching this tonight on Channel 5. My only wish is that on Tuesday night, can the team that played the 2nd half, less McCartan (who got a red in the melee) please turn up for 90 minutes against Carlisle.

choirboy · 13-02-2016, 17:48

Firstly, it was great to get three points out of a potentially tricky match.

Secondly, it was good to improve our goal difference.

Thirdly, the officials were absolutely DIRE!

Crawley seemed to have come with a plan to squash Billy Kee, (literally!) Which the referee and his assistants allowed for 50 something minutes of the match. Billy is a difficult player to play against I am sure, but the lad was wrestled virtually every time he went for the ball until we finally got on top of them later in the match. I was really pleased that Billy scored his goal!

The referee awarded only 6 fouls by Crawley in the whole match, three of which were by Ashton. Their two centre backs who were like a 'Tag Wrestling' team did not have a single foul given against either of them in the whole 90 plus minutes. The referee was useless and to me he did not look fit enough to officiate at a professional level. He lacked mobility and only broke into a 'Sweat' when the frackas kicked off and then he didn't seem to know what to do!
Crawley scored with a well taken finish by Edwards that our keeper Ross could do nothing about. A totally mis hit cross from their left luckily fell to Edwards and he swivelled superbly and found the top corner......give credit where it is due! In the first half we flattered to deceive and our attempts to play our expansive passing game stuttered on a stodgy and slightly patchy pitch. Shay did not get into the match at all in the first half.
Coley must have had a few words at half time as Stanley came out motoring. Billy got his goal after Jones spilled a 'shot come cross' from Crooks which left Billy with a relatively easy tap in.Billy certainly revelled in the success in front of the Clayton End! I shouted to Jones, "Better not make a cup of tea tonight Jones 'cause you'll probably scold you feet!"
We were getting on top and finding our passing game with both Pierro and Sean Mac doing great work on the wings, well supplied by Seamus and Crooks and our flying full backs Halliday and Bucko. I was very anxious for Bucko after he won a hard tackle but hurt himself in the process but he was motoring again within a few minutes. Shay had been working hard to run into spaces for second and third phase passes but was simply felled three times by opposing defenders when the ball was 20 to 30 yard away......Nothing from the REF! Unbelievable! It was possibly this total frustration for Shay which led to the 'Rumpus'. Shay went for a 50/50 ball and his opponent seemed to take a knock and his team mates furiously encircled Shay as he too lay on the floor. Whether it was a bad foul or not by Shay was difficult to see but the reaction by the Crawley players contributed considerably to the ensuing rumpus! Billy was so quick to stand over Shay and force away the Crawley players who were punching down on his face and head! Shay could have come of with a serious injury but for the protective efforts of Billy Kee!
(If ever I was in a war, I would want to line up with hero Billy at my side!)
Several players on both sides were losing it but Jason Mooney ran onto the pitch like Linford Christie and the sight of him steaming towards the Crawley players had some of them retreating rather quickly!! I don't think that Jason actually smacked anybody but he was obviously going to be in trouble!
After some time and the referee asking all and sundry what had happened he sent Shay off and then one of the Crawley players and then he ran over to the dugouts to send off Mooney!
The extra space on the pitch with both teams down to ten men seemed to work very much in our favour and Seamus really took control and he was sweeping passes right and left with ease. Pierro particularly was really over running his full back now and getting some great crosses in.
In one attack Matty Pearson went marauding forward into space and a poor clearance form Crawley fell to him and he beat the centre back and keeper Jones with ease, as if he was free scoring centre forward! The goal capped a great performance by Matty today.
We continued to dominate and a series of passes found Seamus 25 yards out and he looked up and superbly lined up his strike on goal with the outside of his foot wonderfully curling a low shot into the bottom corner!
Joe Wright who also had a tremendous game did a 'Matty' style marauding run forward run and nearly got onto the end of another great move!
The final goal was just reward for Pierro. After yet another sweeping series of passes he strode forward, one on one with the keeper, and finished with a super low shot into the bottom corner!
We all went barmy and I started to lose my voice with all the singing and shouting!
It had been a super second half performance by our boys and we ran out easy winners in the end
The goals scored helped to improve our goal difference too and we are now sixth with games in hand. Just a pity that neither Morecambe or Leyton Orient could not manage to do us a favour today.
ON STANLEY ON

choirboy · 13-02-2016, 18:03

Not a bad turn out from home fans on a cold day about 1300 form Accy and forty something from Crawley.!

Redraine · 13-02-2016, 18:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrisr

Matt crooks had several golden chances but chose to pass and the strikers ballooned them. I think Matt has just lost confidence in front of goal, He has skyed the last couple of sitters and I think that is his weakness at the moment.

Sorry, but I thought he played a big part in our second half dominance. After a first half where none of our lot broke out of their sideways passing rut he went for goal determinedly and forced the keeper into spelling the shot to Billy for his goal. After that he looked dangerous to me with his forward runs and harrying of their defence into chasing their tails as we attacked with a vengeance.

Tom D · 13-02-2016, 18:42

The issue in the first half was crooks and seamus were man marked. This continued after the break, but our centre halves worked out they could basically dribble the ball 40 yards with no pressure, first time we did this we scored. No coincidence!

choirboy · 13-02-2016, 19:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redraine

Sorry, but I thought he played a big part in our second half dominance. After a first half where none of our lot broke out of their sideways passing rut he went for goal determinedly and forced the keeper into spelling the shot to Billy for his goal. After that he looked dangerous to me with his forward runs and harrying of their defence into chasing their tails as we attacked with a vengeance.

Hmmmm... I think that Matt did quite well but today but he has had much better games for Stanley. His 'Unlocking' of the Crawley defence was a mis hit shot which the keeper Jones spilled straight to Billy, who as a good predatorial centre forward should, was in the right place to 'pick up the pieces' and put the ball into the net! Matt had a couple of other opportunities to shoot which were somewhat wayward. Matt also got booked once again unnecessarily for a nothing foul in midfield. Seamus was the real driving force particularly in the second half when we found more space after the sending offs! Having said all that Matt was part of a great second half performance by the Stanley team as a whole.